The long history of co-operation between Sikorsky and Westland began in 1947 with the Model S-51 which was built in Britian until the end of 1955, when the Westland Widgeon appeared. This had a redesigned cabin for four passengers plus the pilot, and a three-blade rotor driven by a 500hp Alvis Leonides engine. About 15 were built alongside production of the larger Whirlwind, the British version of the Sikorsky S-55.

A few passenger transport versions of the Widgeon were produced, some ambulance versions with room for two stretchers and a medical attendant inside the cabin, and at least one model equipped for rescue operations with an external hoist capable of lifting up to 455kg. A few Widgeons were also exported to Brazil and Jordan, but one of the chief operators of this helicopter was the Hong Kong police force, which used it for port surveillance.

G.Apostolo "The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Helicopters", 1984

Negotiations in 1946 between Westland Aircraft of Yeovil, Somerset, and Sikorsky in the USA led to a licence for construction of the Sikorsky S-51 in the UK. Basically similar to the US-built aircraft, the type was assembled from British-built components and in all but one variant was powered by the Alvis Leonides engine. The first civil Westland/ Sikorsky WS-51 was flown on 5 October 1948 and on 24 July 1951 the type became the first British-built helicopter to gain a certificate of airworthiness. Before that, in 1950, a version designated Dragonfly HR.Mk 1 equipped the Royal Navy's first helicopter squadron, No. 705 formed at RNAS Gosport. Built to a total of 133, the Dragonfly was followed by a developed version, the Westland Widgeon, the prototype of which was a conversion of a Dragonfly to provide five-seat capacity and which benefited from the introduction of the improved rotor of the Sikorsky S-55. Widgeon production totalled 14, several of them conversions of Dragonflies.

The "Widgeon" pictures with floats I use to keep clean and dusted in a hangar at Sywell Northampton in the 90's, the floats had been removed and put back on wheels; it now lives in a museum in Norfolk.

Ney Bazante, e-mail, 17.09.2011

LETTER TO THE GOVERNMTMENTS AND COUNTRIES

GENTLEMENT Members of the Government: I offer you the DESIGN OF A GREAT AIRCRAFT TYPE UFO, HELICOPTERS and more, what is projected whit a powerful motor. It was CONCEIVED FOR PASSENGERS AND ALL KIND OF CARGO, for local, national, international AND INTERPLANETARY TRANSPORT . This one will cause VERY IMPACT in the earth.

Please note that the conception of the invention is IMPOSSIBLE TO BE CONCEIVED, not now, nor will there be after dozens of years, for any engineer or engineering group of you, or any part of this planet.

THIS IDEA COMES FROM A VERY DISTANT UNIVERSE. THE FIRST FRUITS FOR YOU. I have with me , forever, the being brought. For this reason I can help you in the development of the invention process, without it costing a penny more.

The development of the invention will not have harmful consequences, nothing will explode, nothing will burn, or any other harmful consequences for. The invention is extremely simple. UFOs ARE SIMPLE TO BUILD, guide and maintain them, because thy are just about electromagnetism. THE INTELLIGENCE THAT DEVELOPED THEM IS FROM THE UNIVERSE ABOVE, ARE HIGHLY DEVELOPED and evolved. You know that there is no point of comparison with what we have on Earth. All earth aviation is obsolete.

The idea is great, the cost of processing is minimal. In a couple of years you have used successfully and securely. Your profit will be of millions of dollars. In the long term will be tenths of millions, because they cheapen everything: planes last several decades and have very low maintenance costs. FOR PASSENGERS, THE TICKETS WILL BE MUCH LOWER COST THAN TODAY. For all this, you will establish a huge monopoly for decades. I hope that you will know that this is something extraordinary, buy it now.

The design of the motor can be adapted to automobiles, trains, ships, submergibles and more.